Saturday, January 19, 2013

Christmas is over for a while now, and though the calendar tells us winter has only just begun I personally don't feel the need for any more snow and ice, both of which we've had rather a lot lately (comparably, of course. I don't mind if any Canadian or Scandinavian readers are laughing now. :D)

We're not really used to snow in this part of the country where winter usually means rain and, in short, a few more months of autumn, so when it snows it's usually something exciting (especially for children and car drivers) but when you've had it for a week you can't help but long for spring. It's like that for me anyway.
Leaving the house for work early in the morning, listening to the sound of snow under my feet while watching the slowly falling flakes in the orange light of the street lamps on my way to the train station: those are my favourite snow moments.

During the long wait for the spring I like to look at Namiki's Yukari "Yozakura" pen which depicts cherry blossoms as well as single flower petals in stunning purple, lilac, green and yellow hues of abalone shell. It's like watching the blossoms tumbling to the ground on a gust of wind.

Namiki Yukari Yozakura Raden.

This is just a glimpse as I'm still trying to create the right light for the Raden inlays to show their full beauty. Until I've succeeded this might give a small impression - and maybe makes you think of spring as well.

Do you also wish for the winter to end already or are is it your favourite time of the year? What sort of weather are you usually having in January?

Thursday, January 17, 2013

This is one of my two Genkai pens and one of the three largest ones I own, the other one being a Sailor Susutake. These are large pens, probably made with the thought of a generous canvas for maki-e artwork in mind (which is as amazing as it is out of reach).

Danitrio Genkai in Seirei-Nuri

Seirei-Nuri is a technique which is, as far as I know, supposed to mimick the pattern of a dragonfly's wings. I sometimes can't help thinking "giraffe" when looking at this pen, it definitely looks like something that could occur in nature. Every pen is made by hand, the pattern being unique to each.

Danitrio Genkai in Seirei-Nuri

Under the golden web, the distinct color gradient of tame-nuri Urushi is just visible. The golden web is made first by a sort of dipping technique, then sprinkled with gold dust. The red lacquer is applied over it but polished so the gold will show again in the end.
Like many Urushi surfaces this one will look very different depending on the lighting, from dark crimson to nearly orange in bright sunlight.

Danitrio Genkai in Seirei-Nuri

When I handed the pen to my Mum she suspected it to be a pen case. She was in for a surprise!

Montblanc Meisterstück 149, Danitrio Genkai, Pelikan M1000.

I said it was big, right? But that doesn't mean much when you don't have anything to compare it to, so here's the Genkai next to a Montblanc Meisterstück 149 and a Pelikan M1000.

Danitrio Genkai in Seirei-Nuri

I love how the pattern flows around the edges.

Danitrio Genkai in Seirei-Nuri

A pen as large as this needs an extra large nib - and so it got one. This one's a beautiful factory broad stub, not exactly flexible but soft and yielding, a reliable and very wet writer. It fills with an eyedropper and has an additional shutoff valve to prevent it from leaking when not in use, which works remarkably well.